Laura Wolvaardt's 53-ball 115 leads South Africa to easy 9-wicket win in run chase of 193, India lose series with hat-trick of defeats

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt made the run chase of 193 look like a walk in the park. At the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, which has witnessed plenty high-scoring affairs, South Africa chased down 193 with nine wickets in hand and 21 balls to spare against India. Wolvaardt wreaked havoc with her 53-ball 115 as South Africa completed a hat-trick of wins to take an unassailable lead over Harmanpreet Kaur’s India in five-T20I series.

Wolvaardt became the second batter to score a T20I century against India. The only other to do it is England's Danielle Wyatt with a 64-ball 124 in 2018. She led South Africa to their highest ever successful run chase in T20Is. Overall, it is the third-highest successful run chase in women's T20I history.

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Shafali, Smriti start well

Earlier, Wolvaardt won the toss and opted to bowl first. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma used the powerplay overs well, scoring 51 runs. In the ninth over, Nonkululeko Mlaba struck twice to dismiss Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues. Mandhana fell for a 25-ball 37 whereas Rodrigues registered a golden duck. In the 13th over, Verma reached her second consecutive half-century.

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Harmanpreet takes India to big score

As the slog overs started, Verma lost her wicket ot Annerie Dercksen in an attempt to hit a six. Her knock of 46-ball 64 was laced with eight fours and a couple of sixes. In the 18th over, Harmanpreet reached her half-century from 33 deliveries. In the penultimate over, Richa Ghosh tried to push the score with big shots. South Africa were sloppy in the field, missing run out chances and dropping catches. Harmanpreet hit two sixes in the final over. She was run out on the final delivery. Her 38-ball 68 took India to 192/4. She hit seven fours and three sixes.

Wolvaardt’s blazing ton leads South Africa to hat-trick of wins

Wolvaardt walked out with attacking intent in the run chase. In just 23 balls, she crossed the fifty-run mark. After six overs, South Africa were 72 for no loss. Sune Luus broke free in the middle overs. South African openers continued to dominate in the run chase. A dropped chance didn't do them a favour either. In the 14th over, Luus reached her half-century from 36 balls. On the next delivery, Wolvaardt completed her century from just 47 deliveries.

The opening partnership was broken in the 16th over. Shreyanka Patil got the consolation wicket. Wolvaardt departed for 115 off 53 deliveries. Her knock was studded with 14 fours and five sixes. She shared an 183-run opening partnership with Luus. This is the highest partnership for any wicket by a South African pair in T20Is. On the third ball of the 17th over, Luus hit Deepti Sharma for a maximum to finish the run chase. She remained unbeaten for 64 off 42 deliveries.

The defeat was reality check for Harmanpreet’s India, the current ODI World Champions, a weeks ahead of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on English soil.